


Return to Caldos

by Florence2410UK



Series: Caldos [2]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-21
Updated: 2015-08-21
Packaged: 2018-04-16 11:33:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4623810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Florence2410UK/pseuds/Florence2410UK
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before she leaves the ship to go to take up her position as Head of Starfleet Medical, Beverly asks Jean Luc to return to Caldos with her for a few days.</p><p>You should read Leaving Caldos first as this is a continuation of that story.</p><p>As always, constructive criticism is welcomed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Return to Caldos

**Author's Note:**

> All characters etc belong to Paramount, I'm just playing with them for a bit.

Beverly looked across the room and smiled at her captain as the doors to his Ready Room slid open and saw him return her smile as he sat back in his chair. She walked towards his desk and perched on the side of it folding her arms across her chest.

“How’s it going?” she asked

“Will just came in a few minutes ago to say goodbye. I saw Deanna earlier this morning.”

“I know” she replied “I’ve seen them both too.”

Silence.

“How about you?” he finally asked looking at her “Are you packed up yet?”

Beverly nodded her reply “Almost. I’ve a day or two yet to get things organised.”

Silence again. 

He stood and moved towards the window looking out into the wide expanse of space. They were sitting in dock at the moment as the ship was undergoing repair following their recent encounter with Shinzon. He was awaiting the arrival of his new command staff and of course orders. It would be few weeks though. Will and Deanna were going today, Data of course had already gone forever and Beverly, he paused, well she would be leaving too. He was pleased for her of course. She had a second chance to lead Starfleet Medical. She would have been foolish to turn it down. However he was going to miss her dreadfully.

Beverly sat and watched him. She had something to ask him but she wasn’t sure how to quite broach the subject. For all their deep and long held friendship there were certain boundaries they had kept to over the years and she was about to breach one.

Finally she spoke.

“Jean Luc I wanted to ask you something.”

“Oh?” he replied turning to her.

“You remember my Nana’s house, on Caldos?”

He nodded.

“Well it seems that the caretaker passed away recently and the house has no-one to take care of it. I need to go back and finally sort out the rest of Nana’s affairs and make a decision about what to do about it. I have a few weeks of leave accrued and thought maybe now would be a good time to go before I take up my new post.”

Jean Luc nodded in agreement “Yes, it probably would, as I doubt you are going to have much time for the foreseeable future. Starfleet Medical, it’s a big job.”

“It’s just,” she paused looking down, acutely embarrassed all of a sudden. “I haven’t been back since - ” and then she couldn’t go on.

“Ah” he said

There was a long silence. Jean Luc patiently waited. But when she didn’t speak he looked away.

Finally he asked “When will you go?”

“In a couple of days” she replied.

Jean Luc walked back towards her and put his hand on her shoulder. “Beverly,” he said quietly “I have some leave owing and some time while the repairs are being done. Would you like me to come with you?”

She looked at him, relief in her eyes, and said “Please.”

He smiled, nodded and then he pulled her close and held her. He felt her arms go round his body and gently squeeze him. Then he patted her back and let her go.

“We can go in my yacht,” he said cheerfully hoping to lighten the mood “It will be nice trip. A chance to unwind a bit.”

She reached out and rubbed his arm and smiled at him “Thank you Jean Luc.”

Then she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Don’t forget to pack your thermals though. It can be a bit chilly in the Highlands at this time of year.”

As he chuckled, she turned and left him to go pack her things.

 

The journey to Caldos was uneventful and due to the comfort of the yacht quite pleasant. The two of them passed the time chatting, reading and listening to music. This was the first time in years they had spent that much time together. Jean Luc was glad that he had offered to accompany her and Beverly was relieved and thankful he was with her. 

They had never spoken of the events that had taken place on Caldos following her grandmother’s death. Not since they had sat on the hill overlooking the house all those years ago and he had held her as she had cried. The affair with Ronin had taken her months to get over and much counselling but she had never talked to him about it. Apart from anything else it would have meant talking about what he had seen that night through the window when he had come to find her and neither of them wished to open that particular can of worms. It was all far too complicated and so they both had remained silent on the subject.

The first few days on Caldos also passed uneventfully. It was a peaceful little backwater in the galaxy. Very little happened there and the pace of life was slow. It was the perfect place to unwind and relax. Beverly had more than expected to sort out and so Jean Luc had been left to his own devices. He spent time exploring the colony, walking on the moors and through the woods, finding all its beauty spots. On their final day however at her suggestion they went for a picnic. Setting off late in the morning they hiked up over the hill at the back of the house and then down into the next valley. It was a beautiful autumn day and the leaves were in their full glory. Shades of amber, russet and red surrounded them. It was quiet in the woods. It was as though they had the whole planet to themselves. As they hopped across a stream Beverly noticed a clearing that would be just perfect for their picnic. 

Whilst he got the picnic set out she paddled in the stream. He watched her as the sunlight caught her hair picking out its highlights, the subtle shades of red and gold glinting in the dappled light. At moments like this it seemed to him that the planet they were on stopped spinning and time seemed to stand still. He was mesmerised by her beauty. All of a sudden she turned and caught him staring at her. He quickly looked away as she came back towards him.

“Lunch is ready” he said as she approached.

They both sat on the picnic rug and ate the bread, cheese and ham they had brought with them. They each had a glass of wine and then she laid down in the sunshine, her head on his lap and his back against a tree.

“What are you reading?” she asked

“Sonnets” he replied

“Ah, would you read to me? I love to hear you read.”

So he began to read.

She was surprised. She had been expecting Shakespeare but what she heard was Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

“How do I love thee, let me count the ways” he read and as she listened she became acutely aware of her own heartbeat.

As the poem finished she opened her eyes and saw that he was not looking at her. He was not looking at the book. The book was next to him on the grass and he was looking away across the clearing. It was so quiet that when the breeze fluttered through the trees she shivered. Beverly sat up. She turned so that she was facing him and she put her arm across his outstretched legs. With her other hand she reached out and touched his cheek.

“Jean Luc, what is it?”

He turned his head slightly to look at her and then he said “Don’t you know? Beverly you must know?”

She looked into his eyes and then closing hers she leaned forward and kissed him gently. As she broke off she heard him sigh “Please Beverly, couldn’t we just try. I can’t bear it any longer.”

She smiled and kissed him again and she felt as his arms moved around her and pulled her to him. She could hear as the blood began to rush in her ears. He took her breath away with the intensity of his kiss. It seemed to last for an age although in reality it was only a minute before they parted.

When it was finished she whispered “Jean Luc, can we go back to the house?” and he nodded and let go of her. She stood and then held out her hand to him to help him up. Together they packed away the picnic and set off back. As they climbed back up the hill the sky began to darken and the wind to stir the heather. The first few spots of rain began falling as they descended the hill towards the house and then finally the heavens opened and they found themselves running to the door. By the time they were inside they were both wet. Beverly headed straight upstairs for towels and blankets and Jean Luc stripping off his shirt began to light a fire. By the time Beverly came down again she had changed into a cotton nightgown and her hair was beginning to dry in curls around her face.

Jean Luc stood up and as she caught sight of him her she felt the breath catch in her throat. He turned to look at her. She moved towards him and put the blankets down on the chair. Her eyes never left his face for an instant. She reached out to him and ran her hands up his arms and then slowly across his chest. She lifted her face up to his and they kissed again. It was gentle and lingering and full of love. He took her hand and led her to the fire and they sat down in front of it facing each other, both hardly breathing, both scared that the moment might pass.

Finally she spoke.

“Jean Luc, it has been a while since -” she couldn’t finish and looked down at her hands.

He paused and then understood her meaning.

“When was the last time?” he asked

She looked at him then “Well, discounting Ronin, the last was Odan”

He looked at her and she looked away feeling just a little awkward.

“Beverly, it has been far longer than that for me and besides,” he smiled and put his fingers under her chin, turning her head towards him “you could never be anything less than perfect to me. Let me love you and you will never doubt it”

This time when he kissed her she knew that she loved this man with all her heart, with every fibre of her being and that all other loves paled into insignificance.

The flames of the fire began to dance and light up the room around them making their skin glow as they removed what was left of each other’s clothing. Finally they knelt naked in front of each other. This time when they kissed each opened up to the other and their bodies seemed to melt together. They were perfectly formed for each other as though they fitted together to make a perfect whole. As he kissed and stroked her body he whispered poetry and endearments that made her cry. He caught her tears with kisses and pulled her onto his lap so that she was astride him. Then with his forehead touching hers and staring straight into her eyes he gently entered her and sighed as she closed around him. 

They were still for just a moment and then as she bent down to capture his lips he began to move within her and she shuddered with pleasure at the feel of him. How could they have been so foolish to keep each other at arms’ length for so many years? He was her heart and soul and she was his. They moved in perfect unison towards the inevitable climax and when it came it was as if the sun itself had exploded into a million other stars.

As they lay together afterwards under the blankets, their arms around each other, watching the dying embers of the fire, neither spoke. They had no need of words at this moment. Neither was sure what would happen when they left Caldos but of one thing they were both certain. There would be no going back to the way things were before and there was nothing that would ever part them now until death took one or both of them.

**Author's Note:**

> For those who do not know it, here is Elizabeth Barrett Browning's beautiful sonnet.
> 
> How do I love thee, let me count the ways.  
> I love thee to the depth and breadth and height  
> My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight  
> For the ends of being and ideal grace.  
> I love thee to the level of every day's  
> Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.  
> I love thee freely, as men strive for right.  
> I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.  
> I love thee with the passion put to use  
> in my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.  
> I love thee with a love I seemed to lose  
> With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,  
> Smiles, tears, of all my life; and if God choose,  
> I shall but love thee better after death.


End file.
